CAIRO, October 19./TASS./. Only the militant wing of Hamas, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, knows the precise number of hostages taken during the operation carried out by Palestinian radicals on Israeli territory, Hamas overseas representative Khaled Mashal told the Al Hadath TV channel.

"The exact number of captives is known only to [those inside] the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades," Mashal said. "Hamas is developing an overall resistance strategy, while decisions on the ground are made by the movement's militant wing," the TV channel quoted him as saying.

As Hamas overseas representative pointed out that "only a limited number of people" knew about the movement's operation on Israeli territory "so as to maximize its suddenness." According to Mashal, the movement's units "focus only on fighting the Israeli army."

An Israel Defense Forces spokesperson said earlier that the confirmed number of hostages held in the Gaza Strip has reached 203, and this figure is not final. At the same time, Hisham Qassem, a member of Hamas' leadership abroad, said this was a good opportunity for the movement to secure the release of Palestinians held in Israeli jails.